Ultraswole's style reminds me of Muscle Matt but his subjects are more mature than Matt's, both in age and behaviour, as witness this handsome gentleman. The erotic content is also much more subtle, although the graphic outlines in these briefs are by no means 'hidden', nor understated.
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I like the singlet/vest worn by this character (if 'worn' is the right word for a garment so tight and sheer that even chest hair is visible beneath it!). Pictures like this, with a suggestively-formed, J/O fist screening off sensitive detail, hint at more explicit depictions, but if they exist, I haven't found them yet.
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Ultraswole - Pink Ticket (my title)
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This image found in the debris of Ultraswole's devastated Tumblr site is an even more obvious sanitisation and a rather sad hint of treasures which are now, it seems, buried, if not entirely lost. The harm done to gay artists through Yahoo's fit of asset-stripping respectability is a continuing blight on the self-expression of our community.
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Ultraswole - Dark Pecs
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The preceding images are notable for their hairy chests and this image is a homage to men with hairy pecs, topped off by a strikingly handsome face.
The 'darkness' alluded to in the title and background tones is curious. Are there hidden depths in this body-sculpting enthusiast's personality?
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Ultraswole- Pool Pecs
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Ultraswole's attraction to hairy chests is obvious in these pictures but in the world of body-builders, whom he clearly adores, body hair is regarded as an impediment to display and is therefore shaved off for formal, posing occasions. This contrasting hairless variant of the 'Dark Pecs' image reflects that practice has been given a light, playful tone with the pool-side setting and floating ring making the subject seem more youthful, compared with his manly, dark alter-ego . Other pictures by this artist also exist in both hairy and hairless forms which seems to show an interest in the transformative nature of the process and (dare I say?) the underlying eroticism of the custom.
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Ultraswole - To Beard or Not To Beard?
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This tryptych is a slightly academic exercise on the subject with no erotic undertones at all and no inkling of the artist's preference. I have posted another artist's photo-manip experiments with hair at my mitchmen gateway blog in
No Hair or Hair? and
More Hairy Experiments posts. Other 'hairy' and 'shaving' posts here at the mitchmen main blog are accessible through the labels at the foot of this post.
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Ultraswole - A,B or C?
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Shaving is just a superficial manifestation of the massively transformational nature of bodybuilding as a whole and participants are always keen to show how much they have grown over the years. This artist's interest in that process surfaces in a number of comparative images and I particularly like this one. It compares 3 different men rather than the evolution of an individual.
As well as the obvious body changes there is also a progression of hairstyles on these men from the ordinary and normal, though showy extravagance to shaven-headed dedication and professionalism. It's a perceptive charting of increasing obsession but the shrinking of the costume with increasing bulk also gives it an erotic dimension. Once again though the title shows no preference on the artist's part.
In this image, the pairing of the original human inspiration with Ultraswole's enhanced vision for him draws attention to his (Frankenstein-like) ability to transform and create a more perfect specimen with improved bulk and definition.
Ultraswole's choice of photograph is a standard beefcake pose, but it's not erotically neutral, the awkwardly-hitched shorts are intended to show off the man's pride in his thigh bulk but the action has a slightly clumsy sexiness. Ultraswole subtly transforms his baggy shorts into something briefer and more stylish, but he also provides grabbable shaping in the crotch region. There's a more subtle conversion of the reversed cap from geeky-looking into something rather more stylish.
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Ultraswole - Superman Transformation
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In this pairing Ultraswole invokes the ultimate transformational dream - that of man turning into superhero. Most of us would see his starting point here as a pretty super man in his own right anyway and strikingly sexy too, wearing a clever choice of shorts that modestly exploits that sex appeal without tawdry exhibitionism.
By contrast, his supposed alter-ego of Superman bulges out of his skin-tight costume almost obscenely and is conspicuously well-endowed, although this version of the picture looks as if it's been toned down in that region for general consumption (if you'll pardon that expression) leaving us to read between the outlines.
Interestingly, the subtle, earthy sex-appeal of the original inspiration pretty much disappears in his clean-shaven, covered-up, transformed self but the erotic interest not completely extinguished but switched into exaggerated bulk, shapely outlines and a real sense of simmering power. You pays your money and you takes you choice!
If you are intrigued by imaginative physical transformations you might like to look at the mitchmen articles showcasing the remarkable work of
Yomero and
Siproites
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Too High
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Ultraswole has a fondness for cartoons that explore the humour of bodybuilding, often featuring men at opposite ends of the transformation. This one features a wimp and his gym mentor in a scene which reminds me of the famous Charles Atlas, sand-in-the-face, beach bullying ads. I confess that I find the bodybuilder's flash of anger and throat grabbing technique rather unattractive. It's an interesting domination scenario though and the final frame shows how much the target likes it!
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Getting Vaccinated
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Ultraswole's muscle-men are clearly not one-dimensional heroes and this one illustrates the paradox of physical strength not neccessarily going hand in hand with mental resilience. His flushed cheeks reveal a charming and somewhat sexy weakness. A cynic might find it strange that a modern, gym bunny might have an aversion to pain and needles though.
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Mr Valentine
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The softer side of muscledom is also nicely illustrated in this image and it cleverly gives the impression that a handsome hunk might respectfully offer his love to any one of us. Notice that the face is one of those from the tryptich earlier, someone has made up their mind! The heart shorts are somewhat corny but who could fail to be swayed by their generous contents?
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| RobertH |
Ultraswole's work is essentially fan art and he specifies his inspiration in this and the next picture and I guess the shorts here are equally frank about the depth of his interest.
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Sam Asghari
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This image captures the slightly dishevelled look of gym users but it enhances rather that detracts from the appeal of this handsome man who the artist has fantasised about offering us more than roses.
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| Eric Janicki |
The ability of an artist to strip his subject is another type of transformation, a wish fulfilment that probably has wider appeal to my readers than the swelling of muscles. The prominent veins of body-builders, much in evidence here, are not really my cup of tea.
